From: Chad Perrin <perrin@...>
Date: 2008-02-27T14:38:06+09:00
Subject: Re: ANN: Teach yourself Ruby - the hard way!

On Sun, Feb 24, 2008 at 05:59:46AM +0900, Martin DeMello wrote:
> On Sat, Feb 23, 2008 at 3:44 AM, Robert Dober <robert.dober@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >  Nice work Martin, I suggest however that you do a
> >  gsub("function","method") on your text, there are just no functions in
> >  Ruby.
> >  What do you think?
> 
> I did think about that, and deliberately decided to go with
> 'function', since from a newbie perspective toplevel methods *are*
> functions.
> 
> Pros: Clear, conceptually simple to understand, a useful and
> for-the-moment accurate model of what's happening
> Cons: Technically incorrect, but to explain the difference would delve
> into ruby's object model a bit too soon.

There's a middle road: Mention briefly that they're called "methods",
even if they fill the same role as "functions" in many other languages,
and leave it at that.

-- 
CCD CopyWrite Chad Perrin [ http://ccd.apotheon.org ]
W. Somerset Maugham: "The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for
wit."